Born Joseph Mascis on 10th December 1965 in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States, in the early 1980s he founded the short-lived hardcore group Deep Wound with his high school friends Lou Barlow and Scott Helland. He started out on drums, but moved to guitar when he went on to found Dinosaur Jr. (with bassist Barlow and drummer Patrick "Murph" Murphy in 1984), which achieved national and international success. After Mascis dismissed Barlow from Dinosaur Jr. in 1989, he recorded several more Dinosaur Jr. albums until 1997, including the 1996 acoustic solo album Martin & Me. He then went on to produce albums with his new band, J Mascis and the Fog, starting in 2000.
In April 2005, Mascis joined up again with Barlow and Murph, as the original trio of Dinosaur Jr., to begin a tour celebrating the re-release of the group's first three albums.
In August 2005, Mascis released a new solo album as J Mascis and Friends, J and Friends Sing and Chant for Amma, an album of devotional songs dedicated to Hindu religious leader Mata Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, about whom he had previously written "Ammaring" on the first J Mascis and the Fog album More Light. The proceeds from the album are being donated to Tsunami relief efforts by Ammachi's organisation.
In late summer 2005, Mascis helped Danish band Mew by adding vocals to the song "Why Are You Looking Grave?" and backing vocals on "An Envoy to the Open Fields". Both songs can be found on Mew's newest album And the Glass Handed Kites.
In 2006, Mascis released an album with his newly-formed heavy metal band Witch, returning to drumming for their debut album, Witch.
In 2010, J Mascis teamed up with two members of Cobra Verde and one of his Witch bandmates for a new project: Sweet Apple. Like Mascis’ Witch side project, Sweet Apple finds J behind the drum kit, although he does plays guitar and sings this time around.
Wide Awake
J Mascis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
Come on over baby,
Time to figure out
Dreaming of the reason
What will bring you around
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
Waiting for an answer, waiting for the time
Thinking of a way I'm
Not sure where to act
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
Come on over baby,
Glancing me a chill
Walking in your footsteps
Walking by you I will
Twisted in the ancient
Torn apart with lie
Scoured all the pages
Not enough to find
Here I'm at
Sneaking past
Came out stand
Turn me on
Turn me on
Wide awake, I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
The lyrics of J Mascis's song "Wide Awake" are fairly ambiguous and could relate to a variety of contexts or situations. However, one possible interpretation is a narrative of a person who is seeking clarity about their romantic relationship. At the start of the song, the singer claims to be "wide awake" and to have come to a realization that they need to "figure out" their situation with their partner. The lyrics imply that the partner in question is emotionally distant or perhaps has ended the relationship, and the singer is trying to understand what went wrong and how they might win their love back.
The second verse suggests that the singer has been ruminating on this problem for some time, as they have been "waiting for an answer, waiting for the time." Despite considering their options, the singer is "not sure where to act," which could suggest that they are afraid to take action in case they cause further harm to the relationship, or perhaps they are uncertain about their own feelings.
In the final lines of the song, the singer seems to be reflecting on the futile nature of their search for answers, singing "Scoured all the pages, not enough to find / Here I'm at, sneaking past, turn me on, turn me on." These lines suggest that the singer has exhausted all avenues of explanation and is resigned to the fact that they will never find a solution to their romantic problems. Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the pain and confusion that can come with relationship breakdowns and the difficulty of finding closure when things end abruptly.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
I am completely alert and aware of my surroundings.
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
I am still fully conscious and aware.
Come on over baby,
I am inviting you over to my location.
Time to figure out
It is time to come up with a solution or answer.
Dreaming of the reason
I have been imagining why things are the way they are.
What will bring you around
I am wondering what will cause you to come over.
Waiting for an answer, waiting for the time
I am patiently anticipating a response or the right moment.
Thinking of a way I'm
I am considering a method or approach.
Not sure where to act
I am uncertain of where to take action.
I'm wide awake
I am still wide awake and alert.
Come on over baby,
I am still inviting you over to my location.
Glancing me a chill
Your gaze or presence is giving me goosebumps.
Walking in your footsteps
I am following your path or influence.
Walking by you I will
I will accompany or follow you closely.
Twisted in the ancient
I am perplexed or confused by the old or ancient ways.
Torn apart with lie
I am feeling divided or broken because of a deception.
Scoured all the pages
I have searched through everything trying to find answers.
Not enough to find
I haven't found anything that satisfies my search for answers.
Here I'm at
I am currently located here.
Sneaking past
I'm trying to make my way by being very quiet and unseen.
Came out stand
I emerged from a place or situation and stopped to take a stand.
Turn me on
I want to be energized or excited.
Turn me on
I am repeating my request to be energized or excited.
Wide awake, I'm wide awake
I am still alert and fully conscious.
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
I am still wide awake and aware.
I'm wide awake
I am still fully conscious and alert.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOSEPH DONALD MASCIS JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Divine Catalyst
I’m wide awake, I’m wide awake
I’m wide awake, I’m wide awake
Come on over baby,
Time to figure out
Dreaming of the reason
What will bring you around
CHORUS:
I’m wide awake, I’m wide awake
I’m wide awake, I’m wide awake
Waiting for an answer, waiting for the time
Thinking of a way I’m
Not sure where to act
I’m wide awake
I’m wide awake, I’m wide awake
Come on over baby,
Glancing me a chill
Walking in your footsteps
Walking by you I will
Twisted in the ancient
Torn apart with lie
Scoured all the pages
Not enough to find
Here I’m at
Sneaking past
Came out stand
Turn me on
Turn me on
CHORUS:
Wide awake, I’m wide awake
I’m wide awake, I’m wide awake
I’m wide awake
Romeo Lachapelle
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
Come on over baby,
Time to figure out
Dreaming of the reason
What will bring you around
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
Waiting for an answer, waiting for the time
Thinking of a way I'm
Not sure where to act
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
Come on over baby,
Glancing me a chill
Walking in your footsteps
Walking by you I will
Twisted in the ancient
Torn apart with lie
Scoured all the pages
Not enough to find
Here I'm at
Sneaking past
Came out stand
Turn me on
Turn me on
Wide awake, I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
Mary Lou Lord
Beautiful work you guys! Love these lovely guitar lines, lyrics. Daring and simple. Thank you for still making music to make us smile and want to aspire to.
Jason Clark
He's such an amazing guitar player
Nick K
One of the best guitar songs ever
Shruggz Da Str8-Faced Clown
A woefully under-recognized guitarist who definitely deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as many of the '60s and '70s guitar greats!
Also, is that Cat Power dueting on background vox?
Alex Burns
This album reminds me of getting sober.
Ocean Sage
Pre-ordered the 2CD bundle! Thanks for the music J Mascis and Sub Pop! It sounds so sweet, yet lonely.
Arboreal
The guitar in this alone is so emotional.
Mur Dock
Loving this!
David Bruno
hey J this is an amazing song and album, salve for the soul thx brother
Random
Dear god I’d love to learn this song on guitar